Homeschooling parents, how are you doing? Going bonkers? I think that’s fair. I couldn’t suddenly homeschool children during a pandemic, and I respect all of you trying to keep up with lessons and such. Here in America, the “school year” has already been cancelled, and various states are grappling with whether or not to do any kind of summer schooling. My guess is that most states will start the “new school year” in late August/early September no matter what though. In Britain it’s different, because they organize school years and semesters differently, and there’s a possibility that some or many schools will reopen in June for a final month of classes, then there will be a summer break, then the new term will begin in August or September. So where do the royals stand?

Kate Middleton and Prince William may keep Princess Charlotte at home next month when school reopens. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are reportedly keen to keep their eldest two children together to continue their lockdown routine.

While Princess Charlotte, who is in reception, could go back to school as part of the phased return to classes, Prince George is in year 2 – not one of the groups expected to be brought back under government advice. The Times today reported Kate and William were considering keeping the family together during the coronavirus lockdown. Both Charlotte, five, and George, six, attend Thomas’ school in Battersea, Southwest London, which is this week expected to make a final decision over the return of classes.

Primary schools in England are due to reopen on June 1 at the earliest on condition that coronavirus infections continue to drop. Ministers hope to bring back Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 on that date. The remaining primary school pupils could return on June 22 for a month before terms end.

[From The Sun]

“Reception” is what I assume Americans would call kindergarten. That’s Charlotte’s age – she just turned 5 years old three weeks ago, so it’s some kind of nursery school/kindergarten. I wonder what the Cambridges will choose to do, especially with a lot of eyes on them. Many parents will take their lead from the Cambridges, I would assume. Meanwhile, Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall have a similarly-aged kid in school, 6-year-old Mia. Mike said this week that he and Zara plan to send Mia back to school whenever the school reopens:

Mike Tindall has described homeschooling his daughter Mia, 6, as ‘nice but also frustrating’, in a candid interview about life in isolation. The former England rugby player, 41, who also shares Lena, 1, with Zara Tindall, 39, said the little girl could be ‘brilliant’, but admitted he felt children were less likely to ‘listen to their parents than others’.

Mike revealed that they were currently planning to send Mia back to school on the 1st June in line with government guidelines opening the doors to reception, year 1 and year 6 pupils next month, but admitted he was keeping a close eye on developments.

The father-of-two said they have hardly seen their neighbour Princess Anne, who has been busy with charity work, and said the WhatsApp group they share with the Cambridges and the Sussexes ‘hasn’t been that active’, revealing that ‘everyone is just getting on with it’.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Mike said: ‘Zara still has hopes that the horses will get back, they still need training and working on, so I get to be a teacher in the mornings which is sometimes really nice, sometimes really frustrating.I don’t think any child is a great home schooler because they definitely listen to other people better than they listen to their parents.’

And admitting he can get frustrated, he continued: ‘Mia enjoyed it the first week because it different being around Mum and Dad all the time. But then ultimately it’s the same people who are telling her off or telling her what to do and I think she gets bored of that. ‘

Explaining that the plan is currently for Mia to go back to school on the 1st June, Mike admitted there was no ‘ideal situation’, but said he felt it was important for children to have ‘some independence’.

[From The Daily Mail]

For the longest time, Mike has been the most authentic “middle class” or “working class” voice in the royal family. He rather famously shut down speculation that he would ever approve of sending his kids off to boarding school, and he seems to want Mia and Lena to have a completely normal upbringing at home, perhaps even going to local schools rather than fancy private schools. This seems in line with that.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Backgrid and Avalon Red.